New Posters And Reviews For Reign of Assassins
The Chinese poster for Reign of Assassins 劍雨 has dropped, and OMG it looks kick-ass. I love it! Very grand and visually a match for the story theme (the missing half of the faces symbolizing the secrets and hidden identities of these band of various assassins).
Chinese-language reviews of the movie have also arrived. One gives a very positive albeit short review. The reviewer notes that the wuxia movies of late have been tremendously lacking, and that while Reign of Assassins doesn’t singlehandedly bring back the grandeur of times long past, it does not continue the losing streak.
The review also notes that Reign fleshes out all the characters, and has a very complicated story that is told in an intelligent way that doesn’t simplify the story or treat the audience like idiots. That sound you hear? It’s me breathing a small sigh of relief.
Click to read the first Chinese-language review:
http://ent.sina.com.cn/r/m/2010-09-04/14093076114.shtml
Another review is less generous, aggregating comments gleaned from reviewers who attended the Beijing premiere yesterday. One noted that Michelle Yeoh looks too old, Barbie Hsu’s acting was panned (but she sure can take her clothes off), the motivations of the leading bad guy is laughable, and generally it’s okay but not stellar. It also noted that some of John Woo’s laughable dialogue from Red Cliff is also present here, which leads me to headdesking immediately.
Click to read other Chinese-language review:
http://ent.qq.com/a/20100908/000012.htm
Lastly, they sure saved the best for last. This is hands down the best trailer for Reign of Assassins I have watched, and I’ve seen quite a few. It is light years more interesting and entertaining than the weird Peckinpah-esque trailer that was released months ago. Alas, I remain interested in watching this movie because I need to see My I Lub You in a wuxia flick come hell or high water.
Best Trailer I Have Seen of Reign of Assassins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzDUAf7xJr8
Ohkay.. now I know why they dubbed Michelle Yeoh’s voice.
Ahh.. what was the last wuxia movie? I can’t remember.
*stabs self for forgetting and still not remembering*
The last wuxia movie was probably Tsui Hark’s Seven Swords. And the last wuxia movie with Michelle was of course Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
Yup, Michelle is Malay-Chinese and she speaks lots of languages but ALL with a very noticeable accent. She needs to be dubbed pretty much all the time.
Thanks for the information. =) Now, I’m kinda ‘healed’ from that self-inflicted wound.
Yes. I remember just falling in love with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
Yeah, I was wondering why her voice in the trailer didn’t sound like her voice in Memoirs of a Geisha.
So, I went and checked a video interview.
Do you think that it’s because she speaks so many languages that her accent is different or is it because she’s Malaysian Chinese?
I heard that she had to read the lines which were in Chinese phonetically in the first few Chinese films she did.
That said, I was interested in Reign of Assassins because Barbie’s role here is so different from her previous roles. Didn’t know Michelle and Jung Woo Sung were in it as well. Now, the excitement has tripled.
Can Jung Woo Sung speak Chinese or will his voice be dubbed?
Dato Michelle Yeoh unfortunately does have an accent speaking Mandarin but there is a reason why she sounds the way she does in this movie which I do not want to give away if you haven’t seen the movie yet.
Jung Woo Sung does not speak Mandarin so he too was dubbed in this movie. His voice is raspier and dare I say, sexier?! 😛
This is one of the BEST wuxia movie I have been in Lord knows how long. I am so glad they did not rely on CGI which is simply overused and abused this day, making every movie so disappointingly formulaic.
There are so many twists and turns in this movie, all I can say is that I loved every minute of it!
agree with therainhouse !! lol
i have seen this film, but i dont’t find barbie hsu use costume like on the poster (costume similar drizzle), she just use costume with wide sleeve. Is that a cutting scene?